Throne of Lies
by Katze-kumi
Summary: The Maverick Wars have ended. The future has dawned. In that time, 100 years have passed, and Neo Arcadia stands tall... But its guardians, even in place, cannot protect their Overseer from his, or his world's fate.
1. Chapter 1 Reflection

This story is a continuation of Mimiru1618-forever's "A Beginning to a Most Fateful End". I actually wrote this teaser first chapter to help her find an satisfying origin of her character, but it ended up sparking up her entire works. I wished to write a continuation, of her future, and X's as well. This may not be the most accurate telling of the 100 years during Zero's sleep, so please take no offense! Thank you, and please enjoy.

.net/s/4771155/1/A_Beginning_To_A_Most_Fateful_End

X had lost count on how many hours he had been at work. How many days, weeks, months; sense of time had slipped away, much like smoke spiraling through one's fingers. His mind remained only directed on the task at hand though, never allowing for anything else. Shunning society, human contact, and contact of other beings, such as the Reploids whose race he belonged, he remained locked away in his own private quarters.

Those very quarters became less his living arrangements, and more into a sort of lab. His surroundings consisted of a small, but spacious room, walls yellowing with age with long, map-like vein cracks slithering along them, and patched with dull, scarred metal plates. There were very few light fixtures, X having preferred to rely on his sharper senses to work than to light that would only show his pitiful arrangements.

And despite the appalling state of disrepair he resided in, X seemed to thrive in this kind of atmosphere. His small experiments and constant toiling away at his duties offered a splash of hectic energy to an otherwise lonely existence. It also soothed memories.

Several decades before, X had promised himself he would not dwell on the disheartening memories he held in his mind. It brought no good, and only furthered to weaken his already fading resolve. Unfathomable amounts of thoughts and experiences had plagued him for longer than he cared to recall, and slowly, it became more and more difficult to repress the ghosts of his past. Although it had almost been a full century since the bloody rebellions that tore the world asunder, just the fleeting mention of these times opened old, fragilely healed wounds in X's heart. Finally, he was able to dismiss these unpleasant notions. He set his mind on the task at hand.  
X's face, long since blanked and smoothed into a permanent mask, finally shifted into a ghostly smile. Past wrongs would be righted. Horrors and pain would be bandaged and allowed to heal…  
If only his plans would succeed. On his already burdened shoulders new, more important tasks had been placed, and he spent every moment now in this haphazard little laboratory, perfecting what he would call the vanguard of his dreams, his hopes and his needs. He would finally offer what small population of Humans and Reploids what they deserved. Or so he hoped. With every fiber of his wasting being, he hoped.

He stood now before what appeared to be a table. He had been staring down for hours at his own creation; a thing built by his own hands. The time had finally come to test if his skills would be enough to achieve his dreams.

Eyes as pale as jade fell on its face, and he smiled his specter grin. The Reploid before him was waking, and with relevance, he watched her-there was nothing that made a Reploid a specific gender except for its personality and appearance, and he had decided this first subject beforehand was to be female.

Anxious, he hovered close by her side, and finally, a pair of somber azure eyes opened, rotating towards his face. Elated that she saw him, X's smile became much more sincere, but he quickly checked this excitement back. He'd have to have a better handle on himself in the future, and although eager to speak with his creation, his 'Gamma', he waited a long moment before he spoke to her. He only hoped she would stay online until he was through with his inspection. Being a 7th prototype, there were always… risks.

It was time to test this theory, and when he spoke, his voice was soft. "Hello there, Gamma. I welcome you." He noted her expression, a small frown like twist of her features, then continued his speech, trying to keep her attention. "I am very glad to see you are awake, my friend…" X halted for a moment, worried. Again, he was unsure if he was ready to let go of the first contact with sentient life, but he pressed forward, "But I am afraid this is not your place, nor is it your time to be truly awakened. You are special." X was not sure if what he saw on the Reploid's face was fear, or confusion painted there as Gamma shifted in place. Anxious, he continued.

"Do not worry, Gamma… You will see me again, when you next wake, and everything will become clear… You will know then, what your purpose is. Rest now, friend."  
He was not ready to hear her voice, knowing he would only reject his plan, and keep her there with him in the cold, dark lab if he listened to another sound other than his own words. He reached for her face, and gently pressed his palm into the crystal there; the source of her energy, like many other Reploids before her possessed.

As he watched 'Gamma' slip back into a silent, disabled state, he sighed. His hand found a tiny pad of keys, fingertips dancing along the numbers as he sent the large table holding the Reploid backwards. It shifted and set itself in place, a sealing capsule sliding over Gamma's sleeping form. The table-capsule receded into a wall, which into a closed, large, cubby like compartment. Sighing, he then turned away.

How many years would he waste away here? How much longer could he honestly? He drifted away from that corner of the room to sink into an old, tattered chair, feeling the frame bite into his back and legs, which had become weak over the decades. He had refused to have his body upgraded, seeing little point in the futile gesture to prolong his existence. He needed no special treatment, he had never been one to stomach it anyway.

Uncomfortable, and yet content with his day's work, he drifted in and out of awareness, letting his mind shift to incoherent thoughts and memories that remained too muted for him to recall them clearly. Dimly, he remembered one thing.  
Tomorrow, he would continue his work, and over the next several months, he would slowly and surely take his goals into his own hands.


	2. Chapter 2 Pillars of Power

Long awaited dreams can only come to fruition if one strives to catch them.

A deep sense of this had settled along X's shoulders as he watched the neon glow of artificial lighting dance before him. He stood now in one of the large elevator capsules that littered throughout the central tower of Neo Arcadia's city perimeter. The city itself was a glowing emerald in the vast lakes of sand the world had become. Through years, nay, decades of work, the humans alongside the small Reploid population had taken up the means to create a haven away from the wastelands that showed no mercy to those who wandered its surface. The city, now complete, consisted of several sectors all heavily guarded and maintained even before the central tower and other sections were completed. The Council left nothing to chance.

Sectors that contained factories, businesses and other economic necessities spanned the northern border of the domed utopia, tall skyscraping a thing of the past. While much more squattier and rounded than their old cousins, the buildings were no less regal. The western sectors contained supply shipping bays and facilities, controlling what goods came in, and what and who would go out. The eastern most stretch of city was left with private housing for the head officials whose jobs were fulfilled in the Central Tower. Also here were laboratories, processing plants and centers for careful production of Reploids. Behind the tower itself and nestled in the southern boarders stood the housing for the populations residing within the city's walls.

X gazed over the glittering lights for a long moment, but a movement at his side averted his attention. A tall, lean Reploid fashioned in emerald green armor shifted there. His helmet swept back with wing like protrusions, but the rest of his body was streamlined and thin, perfect for his profession of aerial flight and attacks. This was Harpuia, General and Guardian of Wind and Air. His eyes were the same dark green as his armor, crimson slashes resided under his eyes, and at his hips were twin holsters for energy blades. Beside him, a female Reploid stood, crowding into the Elevator with two others. The female's armor was sprightly blue, finned projections on her head and body that gave her a sea-like quality. In fact, she was a duplicate of X's Gamma, but he would never say that, and he showed no pain at it. She was Leviathan, Guardian General of Water and Sea. She also possessed analytical skills surpassed only by X himself.

Next to this moody female stood two more male Reploids. One was thickly built with a powerful aura, his armor carmine red and his helmet like the fangs of a wolf's skull. This was Fefnir, lord of Fire and Earth and of all things gritty. A ways from him, standing at X's left side, was the final Reploid, a billowy figure, slight of body and sharp of eye. He wore the black armor of stealth, reminiscent of the ancient Shinobi, or Ninja, of the past. This was Phantom, ruler of shadows and hidden arts.

These were X's strong arms that would protect his new world. His hidden but soon to be revealed guardians.

X hardly noticed when the elevator came to a halt, a soft murmur of a hissing sounding as its doors slid open. He smiled. "Come, my friends. It is time you were introduced to the masses." He stepped out of the pale green glow of the elevator's confines, his now cleaned and long robes falling about his thin frame. His armor even had been polished, shining under the lighting. His guardians, freshly awoken and still quiet on their heavy burdens, were likely as grand. X expected them all to be fit for presentation, something he very seldom did himself, much less someone else.

With his entourage in tow, the blue Reploid walked through a long hallway that few humans milled, their eyes growing wide at the sight of the Lord and his vassals. Very few had ever seen X himself, and none had ever clapped eyes on the strange Reploids who strode at his side, and respectfully, they moved aside to allow them passage. X spotted hopeful stares and more than one frightened feature, but their worries would soon be put at ease, things would settle and a new age of peace would usher itself forward.

He hoped.

A pair of silicon doors stood before them now, in which he paused at. Harpuia's eyes narrowed. "Master… what are we to do? To say?"

X looked back at him, and gave a oddly cheerful wink. "Say what you wish to speak, my friends. People will ask questions, they won't show mercy. Make me proud." Without another word, he walked towards the door, and they opened on electronic belts automatically.

Into the gauntlet he stepped, unsure of the challenges they would face.

===xXx===

The Ceremony had gone smoothly enough. X had suspected no problems, and as he began to tire of the lengthy, boring speech about 'new beginnings' and 'the jobs all would have to undertake', he swore that the crowd below began to meld into one color, the lids of his eyes drooping. It was even more so a crawling annoyance due to the fact he was the one giving such a speech.

X gave a small shake of his head, which sent the joints in his neck and shoulder to pull against their bonds but allowed him to regain some composure. Just as he reopened his mouth to continue, a loud shout broke his concentration.

"Why should we entrust our safety in the hands of Reploids!"

A human male had pushed his way to the front, standing with his fists clenched to his sides and his eyes boring a hateful gaze to the Guardians and their Master. The guardians all shifted uneasily, and even Leviathan gave a snotty hiss. A small gesture from X's hand was enough to send them back into silent repose. "You may speak, sir, as you have that right. I will take no actions against you."

The man seemed a bit perplexed a moment, having fully expected to be dragged kicking and screaming from the assembly for his outburst, but when this did not happen, he stood to his full height. His bravado did not sit well with those gathered around him.

Many of the crowd glared or whispered towards this man, for they saw his logic, and began to question the sanity of letting an ancient Reploid and his created cronies lead the masses that took shelter under Neo Arcadia's protective dome.

Finally, the man found his voice, and his courage to begin to speak. "My family was killed by Maverick Reploids. Some of my friends too! How do we know its safe to let a Reploid run our new Utopia? It was built for humans, it should be given completely to them!" he stood taller at his words, as if feeling more powerful just by expressing them.

X only smiled during the questioning stares and the citizen's quick words. It never ceased to amaze him how loud and impulsive humans were and when he replied, X's response was soft.

"Ah… but you forget, dear friend… who built the place you now stand in. You forget the legacy of the Maverick Hunters, whose ranks once swelled and protected the human populations from any and all harm. You also forget how very fleeting a human's life sadly can be, my friend, and that Reploids possess the skills needed to better help humanity, as was our first design."

"If you so desire though, I would step down, and give the position to one you would deem fitting to do the things you so desperately want." Without hesitation, and ignoring one or two gasps that found his ears, X actually stepped down from the podium. His wide-eyed guardians flocked to his side before he could get very far.

Harpuia was the first to confront the situation, as X had expected. "What are you doing, Master? No human could fulfill your position. Its preposterous and-"

"Oh, I thought I'd give them a try! Humans are very tenacious beings." X's smile had some hidden quality that neither of the four Generals could decipher.

The expression confused them, especially the blunt Fefnir, who grumbled and crossed his arms. "Humans… pah!"

The old Reploid did not reply, having turned his attention to the gathered humans once more. They now clamored loudly, growing angry with the man for lashing out, shouting and shaking their heads as heated arguments went back and forth. Others remained scared and confused though, quieter in their mutterings and backing away from the podium and its Reploid hosts.

None dared to stand behind that pillar. It represented far too much for any of them to comprehend and too many responsibilities could fall upon shoulders unsuited to weight. X knew this. He knew that bit of information all too well and had it seen crush even the greatest of minds.

He sighed and moved back to that marbled stone, facing once more the sea of humans below him. For a moment he hesitated though, knowing he could very easily walk out of the room to let them fight amongst themselves. X could simply assert his power and scold the man for his transgressions.

Never would he have done any of these things.

X turned his gaze upwards instead, seeking for some kind of guidance. "I ask… only for your assistance. I am no ruler. I am no king, emperor or supreme commander. I am only the figurehead to guide and offer my knowledge so that we all can live as one community and strive for something greater than war and conflict. History is said to repeat itself… but we all choose our own destinies. Whether we choose to cause strife, or to bask in peace, I leave up to the those who do not wish to be governed by corruption. "

Silence followed his words, hundreds of faces turned to his single form. He had little to nothing to say now, and with only a faint lowering of his gaze, the elderly Reploid stepped down from the podium once more to return to his keepers.

As he walked from the steps, he placed a small hand on the arm of his General of fire. "Fefnir, I would like it if you and Harpuia would remain behind to make sure things stay quiet…"

"Yes, Master. On my honor!" Fefnir declared, twisting quickly on his feet and marching away with his fists swinging at his side. Harpuia hadn't made a sound as he quickly followed the fiery General, glancing back only once at their Master, who made his way along the thin path that wound from the podium to the exit. The men and women of the chamber quickly made room for him once more, Phantom and Leviathan trailing in his wake.

The moment the electronic doors whispered shut, X let go of his breath in one long sigh. "Think what they would say had they known we plan to rebuild a Reploid population…" Phantom made no comment or expression behind his mask-like helm, but Leviathan's expression betrayed her worry. The ceremony had not gone as planned, but it was time to retire for the day, as X had stated earlier. Things had to smooth over soon, or more violent results could occur, but it would wait until the next day.

"What would you have us do, Master?" Phantom questioned at once, but was waved away.

"No, no… I'm going to return to my quarters, I think." X had already began to walk back towards the elevator. "If you wish, you could assist Harpuia and Fefnir." Once he had stepped into the elevator and turned to them, smiling and waving, the two sputtered and tried to catch up. They, of course, were too late, and the doors slid shut, leaving their Master alone, as he appeared to want to be.

X felt only the slight tug of the elevator's movement that sent a jolt into his legs, once more sighing. Keeping up the persona of an positivist for some reason drained the old Reploid, and before too long, he was stepping from the doors and down another hallway of reflecting lights and bright baubles. All of it was lost on him though, finding only the entrance to his personal quarters at the end of the wide hall, where he could finally sit in peace.

It had taken a lot of fussing and fighting to get the quarters were he now stood, smiling at the low lighting that spread a blue blanket across the high walls. The architects of the main building insisted X should have built his room in a more… secure area. The very top of a high tower could easily be attacked in an air raid, (or so one councilor had huffily explained), but X was adamant. He not only pointed out air raids were highly unlikely, but stated this was his own choice, and he would be safe enough as long as his guardians were near.

His quarters themselves were large, but not intimidating so; Tucked along its sides, a long table covered in a soft, azul velvet cover held a small computer that's screen even now scrolled endlessly with hundreds of things for him to do. Also placed here were several very old books.

They were not literature or anything of that sort, but contained, oddly enough, drawings from an age X rarely wanted to reflect upon. Their pages were old and somewhat yellowed, but he kept them carefully stored, only taking a few out to look through it seemed. The rest of the room was unremarkable, containing a cryo-pod unit for rest, a small, but plush bed for some reason X could not have fathomed. Several feet away from him, placed near the left side wall, an old, comfy chair stuffed with goose down, a rare luxury was beckoning to his tired frame.

X moved to it a moment later, drifting until he stood at its side, the light from a high window falling over his frame and causing his helmet to glitter. He wasn't staring out the window, as he usually did, his gaze instead riveted to a device that rested in the seat itself.

A small white bar, it appeared to be, about a foot long and capped with a tiny glowing battery system. He slowly bent to retrieve it, his small hands not exactly fitting the hilt of the strange thing when they coiled around it and lifted it high. It was made for more sturdy, strong hands. The device felt cold to the touch, and X spent several long moments running his fingers down its length, as if familiarizing himself to its unpadded grip.

X remained standing where he was, staring for a long while before his thumb gently pressed the green indention at the hilt's head. Before his eyes, the item flashed, and a holographic slash of green expanded from the hilt. It morphed itself into the proper form of a V-shaped blade, sides sharp enough to cut through even the strongest, thickest armor. With the same awe he had always felt for more years that the old Reploid could count, X carefully swung the blade, listening in silence as it hummed and glistened in the room's unnatural lighting.

This was one of X's most prized possessions, and a gift from an old friend, irreplaceable for any and all reasons.

"Ah… You still work, don't you?" He chuckled to himself. "Z-Sabre… how many battles have you seen? Or will see…?" X's eyes finally drifted towards the windows once more, their tempered glass a soft blue sheen. Below him spread the splendor of his home, his Neo Arcadia, city lights aglow among the buildings tightly packed and carefully constructed to withstand the greatest of attacks.

X moved his eyes up higher, to the sky. He should have seen blue and white of air and clouds… but he saw only the faint shimmer of energy shields. As planned, the council and its workers had finally succeeded in bringing online the 'dome' that kept the city shielded against all attacks. "Even less likely of an air raid, eh?" He chuckled to himself.

Finally sitting down, X deactivated the Z-Sabre, letting its blade flicker and disappear before placing it onto the sill of the window. Even as his back and legs sank into the soft chair, he still winced, feeling the attached wiring and joints of his body strain. He began to wonder if this was what an old man, sick with age and fatigue felt like, but quickly dismissed such thoughts. He had so much to do, but the old Reploid was not looking forward to the next day. The self-pitying musings made him shudder, trying to assure himself they were pointless.

For now, he would focus on resting.


	3. Chapter 3 Contemplation

"And further more, we'd like to install these cannons…"  
The rest of the human's statement went right over X's head as his eyes slowly tilted to the side, as did his head, staring at nothing in particular. This 'meeting' had gone on for what felt like hours, and the old Reploid was growing impatient, and tired. Of course, he always seemed to be tired. Harpuia and Leviathan stood at his sides, glowering at any human who dared to get snippy at their Master. Usually X would have scolded or chided them against such behavior, but he just didn't seem to have it in him.  
"Am I interrupting your thoughts, Master X?"  
The human voice was annoyed, and X slowly looked back at the plump man who had spoken. Just as sluggishly, X dropped his hand from his chin. "No. I was simply ignoring you."  
A sputter escaped this, and several other council members, but X was undaunted, a sardonic smile on his face. He'd let their outrage play itself out as they stood and spoke at once, sighing to himself. When their heated words began to escalate enough to give him a headache, X slammed his small hand on the ancient wood of the desk, one word making every man and woman in the room jump.  
"ENOUGH." X's eyes were dangerously animated now, and he retracted his hand slowly. "Enough… I am ignoring you for your own sake. I have said time and time again; there will be NO super weaponry manufactured or placed onto Neo Arcadia."  
"With all due respect," Another councilor spoke. "How are we to protect our home?"  
X icicle gaze found, and seemed to spear him to his seat. "Do you not trust my judgment? You know very well I am capable of protecting the City _without_ dangerous weaponry! If those cannons are ever used against us or incorrectly… we'd be destroyed."

"That's not necessarily true-"  
"It is if I say it is." X barked, making even Harpuia wince- especially since when X's anger flared, the lights seemed to spark and dim. Very seldom did the Master of Neo Arcadia loose his temper, but these men and women had hit several personal spots X refused to consider.  
The ban on large weaponry was absolute. X would not allow such a thing to be constructed under his dome, for fear of it being used for incorrect purposes, as he had stated. Harpuia's thoughts fell silent as he continued.  
"You know my views on this. No many how many times you badger and bring this issue forward, I will not have my City jeopardized. I want _peace_, not War Making, and I'll not hear again of this foolishness!"  
A woman dared to speak up, her eyes narrowed but her voice betraying her fright with a tone best described as shaky. "_Your_ city, is also _our_ city. We don't want Mavericks coming in to-"  
"Enough." said X again, but he had sank into his chair. "I said that's enough. I'll hear no more of this today. Leave us."  
Again, sounds of protests were made, but even they too quieted their mutterings as they glanced the Reploid's way. X had closed his eyes and sank back into the chair, a look they knew that meant X was deep in thought, and as unmovable as stone. They would get no more out of him today, and within a few minutes, the only ones standing in the chamber were Harpuia and the old Reploid.  
X opened his eyes, that same, blank expression reflected in pale green irises. "I'm getting a little too old for this."  
"You're not a human, Master." Harpuia's dry remark forced a chuckle from X, who covered his chin with his fist.  
"No, I suppose not, but how long as it been now, Harpuia? How much more of their weapons will they bring before me and request permission to build them?" He got no answer, as he expected, and with a wince, dragged his thin frame to its feet- or at least he got there halfway. Harpuia noticed the pause, and stepped forward to assist him. "Master? Are you all right?"  
"Y-yes… just- no never mind. Don't worry about it." He shooed away the fussing General. "I think I will retire soon today."  
"Master, its barely noon-"  
"I trust you can take care of things." X said dismissively, moving towards the door without listening for a reply. Once he was out of the room, his carefully blank mask shifted to a deep frown. These meetings were slowly wearing him down, and it would never end. The humans wanted a weapon _they_ controlled. Something they could use against whoever threatened the City. Yes, in retrospect this was a logical idea… but he couldn't risk it.  
X had moved down several hallways and now stood before a locked doorway, his fingers sliding over a keypad. Once he had entered the specific number code, the doors hissed open, and he moved inside, locking the entrance behind him. The inside was dark, which was remedied by a way of X's hands, activating a light that bathed the room in a pale glow.  
Not just an empty chamber, the small space was occupied by computers, lab tables, charts and darkened screens. Tools and bits of scrap metal and other bits and pieces of something anyone could guess. X had had this room set aside for his many tests and little dabbling tendencies in the mechanical workings any scientist was prone to, and he found himself here quite often.  
Hands brushing along tabletops as he walked, X stepped around to a seat nearest a desk full of computer screens and the device itself, coated in a thin layer of dust. The reploid hadn't touched this terminal in a long while…and for good reason. "A century…" He murmured, running his hand onto the keypad of the 'laptop'. The personal computers hadn't been seen for a long while, or at least not an outdated model such as this. When he flicked a power button at the top of laptop's keyboard, watching as it clicked, and then flickered to life. Once a 'homescreen' was bypassed, strings of code and countless data fragments that most people would call meaningless drivel and bits of numbers and letters.  
Not to X.  
He could read these codes better than he could read written words, and he smiled despite himself. "You always did have funny little quirks…" He sighed, sitting up straight once more and staring off at a screen above his head. With a tap of his finger to a second 'laptop' beside the older device, and the screen blipped with an image.  
A blueprint to be exact.  
X had been working on this particular project for more than sixty years, sighing as he moved his hand, actually _taking_ the image from the screen to float in air, transparent before his fingers. "When will be the right time…?" X mused his thoughts aloud, vanishing the hologram and storing it into his memory banks.

Gamma.  
X had been reminded a lot of his past as of late. No matter where he looked, something triggered old memories… but was he ready to bring forth his fifth guardian? Would she _want_ to see this broken world in all its chaotic problems? She would be ready, she was always adapting.  
But more importantly, was he ready for that?  
X's gaze inched to the laptop, and traveled inward to those lines and diagrams to make the all important vessel.  
"What should I do…?"


	4. Chapter 4 Journey

Phantom was beginning to see why the Guardian's Master was all too quick to abandon his duties.  
The General of Shadows heaved a deep sigh, dropping his chin into his palm and staring down at the tenth stack of paper to gather under his nose that day, wondering, for the tenth time, what this pertained to. He flicked a sheet over and began reading its contents.

_Reports have shown than an increase in Reploid activity outside the city boundaries. A request to form a human unit specially trained with weapons strong enough-_

Muttering, Phantom scribbled a denial signature onto the document's bottom corner, and tossed it into a pile of other scraps to be passed back to their owners. There was no 'increase of Reploid activity' anywhere. Harpuia personally saw to such monitoring of the vast desert, and yet the human councilors were either dumb enough, or desperate enough to get their points across they'd make up such weak excuses.

It made little sense to Phantom. Then again, Humans in general were a paradox to him, their strange quirks and emotions that boggled a Reploid's mind were everyday occurrences, and the Guardian's were only given one alternative to deal with these sort of situations.  
"Smile, say no thank you, and sign paper work until your hands fall off or are twisted all up into knots." Phantom muttered aloud, knowing X had meant well when he had come up with the cheeky little saying.  
Not that it helped his dour mood.  
The formation of a human attack unit seemed fair enough, as Fefnir had brought up once during a little spat between them all, (this surprised them all, for the Red General usually was the first to snarl and kick a human away for their weaknesses) and despite their hesitance, the remaining three were forced to think on this matter. X had offered no words. He had sat among them, smiling that odd little smile and just shaking his head.  
Letting humans run about with guns designed to break down Reploid's alarmingly quickly wasn't going to be happening any time soon. Phantom knew this, and nonchalantly shoved the papers aside into bin used for recycling the all too precious paper supply. Why they never used a computer networking system, the General could only guess, but for now, Phantom focused on tidying up the office and stepping outside for a breath of fresh air.  
A balcony was attached to this particular study, and as of late, Phantom took every chance he could get to stand at the railing of the delicately curved half oval, staring out over the glistening city below. It was dark out now, humans returning to their homes to sleep in preparation of the next day, knowing they were secure and well protected.  
Or did they? Obviously some did not, for why else would the papers be rotting away in this study, one request after another, day after day? It mattered little to the Shadow General, but it did weigh heavily on his Master's shoulders-  
"Master… what a fine time for you to disappear. Errand indeed…" Phantom muttered. Just the day before, the morning had passed without the appearance of Neo Arcadia's lead Reploid, and when the guardians had gone to check on him, they found only a scribbled note explaining he would be gone for a 'few days'.  
Having never seen X disappear before, and since they couldn't exactly make the excuse that he was 'under the weather' as the humans say, the four had to come up with some sort of plan to explain their Master's disappearance. Phantom had decided to take over the 'clerical' duties, while Fefnir and Harpuia oversaw the duties of the council members and general grievance audiences with townspeople. That left Leviathan out searching for clues on X's location.

"Bring him home." Phantom spoke out into the night sky, seeing a faint dusting of stars just beyond the domed ceiling of Neo Arcadia, but there would be no reply in the silence prevailing. 

===xXx===

Outside the domed protection of Neo Arcadia, the world was a barren, desert of considerable size. In the entire past century, very little had been done about exploring further down the sandy miles, due to the low resources and poor machinery to last out in the unforgiving winds and sandstorms.  
But Reploids didn't have to concern themselves with dehydration, hunger and injury from the elements. Nor were the rumors that nothing resided outside of the desert.  
In such a place was X's destination. Over one hundred and thirty years ago, a pod had been discovered in the tiny patch of forest, half buried in the ground and seemingly abandoned until it was discovered.  
That same little forest still existed, and a large 'motorcycle' rested at the entrance by the tree-line, a towing trailer attached to its back. X had slid his tiny body from the giant machine, his 'booted' feet sinking softly into the sand. He wasted no time in getting his bearings, squinting as his sensitive eyes took in the bright sunlight and pale trees that reflected back that light. For a long moment, he didn't budge from his spot, taking in the memories that assaulted him so suddenly, which he then quickly pushed aside. He couldn't be weak now, nor doubt. He refused to believe what he had come to retrieve had been moved or lost to the ages.  
There was only one way to find out.

===xXx===

X had made his way along a faded and by then overgrown path within the forest's trees, moving along for longer than an hour with no sign of breaks in the foliage. This worried the old Reploid somewhat, wondering if perhaps his memories had betrayed him, and this was not quite the correct place.  
Until he broke through a thick trailing of bramble, and into a spacious clearing.

The glade before him was dimly lit, the trees overhead forming a sort of 'ceiling' that cast soft light. There was nothing much else in the vicinity except more shrubbery, and one single item that caught that weak sunlight and sent it back into a flash back into X's eyes, who shaded them with his hand.  
A triumphant, and very much forced smile came to his face, relief mixing with trepidation and forming a knot in his 'belly'. "I found you…"

===xXx===

"He's returned?"  
Harpuia bounded to his feet at the news, having been watching over several screens filled with data scrolling up and down their lengths. He had been at the computer station for what felt like days, and Leviathan's news set his frazzled nerves onto a focused center. That is, until she spoke again.  
"Yes, but he brought back some sort of pod… and locked himself inside his lab."

====xXx===

Indeed, as Leviathan had reported, X had returned to Neo Arcadia without notice. The Sea General would not have even noticed if she had not needed to find her way into the underground 'garage' where several in development vehicles were housed. X's monster of a motorbike was uncovered and parked in its secret cubby, of which he had left open.

She had immediately gone in search of her Master, but was met only with a glimpse of the Neo Arcadian figurehead floating a giant pod into the lab, a weak smile, and a shooing gesture that sent her scampering off to find Harpuia and the others. By the time they were gathered in one of the many sitting chambers that dotted the upper towers of Yggdrasil, none of them were in any mood to be dealing with their elusive Master's strange experiments. Fefnir was the first to voice his outrage.  
"How are we supposed to do our jobs if he keeps locking us away? What the hell was he dragging into that lab?" The Red General snarled and paced back and forth, his body rigid and eyes wild as his usual fiery temper flared. Phantom, not opening his eyes nor changing his serene sitting position, spoke next.  
"Trust the Master's judgment."  
"That's easy for you to say! You didn't see this thing. It was so filthy I didn't notice what it was until I really thought about it." Leviathan threw her voice into the mix, but she got no response from the calm Phantom. Harpuia also remained silent, his thoughts inwards.

X's sudden activity was, yes, a bit confusing, but deep down, was that such a horrible thing? For years, X had hidden himself away, emotionally and physically… perhaps whatever little pet project he had found would lift what little spirit's the old, sick-at-heart Reploid had left.  
If he heard Leviathan and Fefnir's continued ranting, he didn't show it. 

===xXx===

The Guardians would not receive answers to their questions any time soon.

X, on the other hand, was seriously regretting that he had not taken a proper rest in more time than he cared to count. He pulled himself up from an overstuffed chair, limping to the very center of his personal lab, where he had the day before set down the item that had caused so much fussing.  
All four of his Guardians had tried to gain entrance to the lab, and each one had been turned down with the same excuse. X was busy. He did not want to be disturbed, or he would call to them if he should need assistance.

X smiled weakly to himself as he placed a hand on the front of the pod, dismissing these thoughts from his mind completely. "They'll see in due time, won't they?"  
Receiving only a quiet hum from the pod's internal workings booting up, X sighed, pulling his fingers away. It wasn't until he looked down at his hand that he taken away several coats of mud and rotted bits of foliage, which clung to his fingers. Grimacing, he shook his hands in air, realizing once more just how long this device had been hidden away from the world. Forlornly, its occupant had been sleeping through the ages, alone and silent in it's forest domain.  
"But no longer," he murmured, placing his small palm onto the glass cover once more. "I should have done this a long, long time ago… you deserve so much better."

Wasting no time, X went to work cleaning the pod first, his hands meticulously rolling about in circles with an old rag. Sludge and slime came away in thick layers as the rag made its way from top, to bottom and cutting through the mess to leave smudges on both the metal and his sleeve, but X's expression remained focused all the while, even when his hands shook and a strange chime began to sound.

At first, the noise started as a dull hum at the back of his head, an afterthought he ignored and had little importance to him. It wasn't until its intensity increased that X looked up, wincing. He stood sluggishly to shut down whatever annoying computer had set off the alarm… only to realize it was inside his own head.

Startled, X brought up his internal energy levels to see what had caused the sound, and as the bars, lines and waves depicting his inner workings flashed over his eyes, he winced at what he saw.

_Processors working at 25%. Core temperatures over maximum levels. System maintenance required. Shut down in 3 hours or system failure will occur. Please respond and cease functions._

Sighing, X blocked the warning from his thoughts, murmuring all the while once his hands found the rag again. "Almost done… 3 hours should be enough… the body's already done…"

Pressed on with new vigor, X's shaking hands frantically began to pick up the pace, but as he finished cleaning the scum from the pod's exterior, he stepped back to admire the work. The machine was still scuffed and streaked with now dry mud and clay, its once glistening surface dull and dented. That hardly mattered, as long as it would open.

Opening it was another issue X paused to consider. If he did release the locks, and began the process of waking its occupant… would she be salvageable? He had already considered these things and determined the outcome positive, but X was nothing if he wasn't a profound worrier.

He glanced once more at his shut down timer; two hours, thirty six minutes and eleven seconds left- he paused at the familiar counting habit and chuckled, but the mirth did not last long.

It would have to be enough, he though, and with a faint sigh, his fingers found the now operating keypad, and tapped in a sequence only he knew. He then stepped back, watching lights flicker and the glass raise ever so slightly… 

===xXx===

_All systems online. Operations at 45% and counting. Mobility rate, 0%, rising in calculated time of: 10 minutes, 5 seconds, and 46 nanoseconds. Brain functions coming online. Optical and motor skills coming online._

_All systems go._


	5. Chapter 5 Awakening

It was dark. Unaware of anything beyond her dim vision, she tried to lift her head, feeling on a nostalgic little thought that was unfamiliar with anything around her. When had she felt this before? It was familiar, and yet, not.

Slowly, Gamma tried to sit up, finding herself on what appeared to be a heavy metal lab table… in a lab, no doubt, as well. Azure eyes rotated about her surroundings, trying to discern details; computer screens, tools and electronics needed to repair Reploids…

And a pair of figures.  
The first was deactivated and rested within the confines of a storage pod, but its frame was ruined and broken down it seemed, covered by shadow and difficult to see. Shuddering, Gamma tore her gaze from it, and to the second.

This Reploid was 'alive'. Laying stretched out on a strangely thick, cushioned chair, the little figure couldn't be taller than five feet, slumped in sleep and head tilted to rest on his shoulder. He wore no helmet- which sat on a table to his left- which left his messy, pale brown hair covering half of his face. His arms, covered by thick sleeves of a trailing and also faded robe, were resting on his stomach and chest, completely unaware of her presence.  
Gamma frowned, unsure if she trusted what she was seeing… then again, thinking back to her last memories… where was she? She wasn't in the-  
It all crashed into her like an avalanche and a rush of data. This wasn't Hunter Base. This wasn't even her laboratory or the forest…

This was somewhere completely different.  
A century's worth of difference no doubt.

===xXx===

"Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey…"  
Bakey? The statement had been absurd enough for X to groan and open his eyes, trying to clear his head… and what he saw when his vision cleared made the old Reploid screech and leap backwards, slamming into his chair and sending it nearly bounding off to its side, or at least it would have, had not the figure who had been poking him in the nose jumped forward and grabbed it.  
"Yeesh! I wasn't expecting that kind of reaction…"  
Startled and wide eyed, hands holding onto the armrests of his seat as if his life depended on it. "W-what…?"  
The Reploid who had been sleeping on the table when he had dozed off was perched at the bottom of his seat, blinking owlishly with her large, impossibly blue eyes.  
Her armor was a sharp aquamarine, shot through with blacks, whites and a few stripes of gold on the little 'vest' covering her chest. But her helmet was the most complicated piece of armor on her- it had taken X weeks to make it perfect- its back was crested by two 'fins' that pressed backwards and followed her spine, while just before them, where ears would be on a human, little winglets lifted or drooped according to electronic signals from Gamma's brain.

X continued to stare at her, so much so, and so silently, than a little huff escaped the cyan Reploid.  
"Well that's a fine hello, X… I forgot how short I made that body…" She sat back on her heels as she mused, looking around. "Where is this? And why do I feel so funny?" When he did not respond quickly, she scowled at him. "Are you listening, or is your voice box busted?" When she finally got a response out of him, she was not expecting a shaky, broken laugh to escape him.  
"S-same old Gamma…"

She was surprised by the pitifully weak tone X used, but that didn't stop her from leaping to her feet with an excited squeal. "You're aliiiiiive!" She threw her arms around the minuscule Master of Neo Arcadia, crushing him in a tight embrace. While she hadn't put as much strength into the gesture, Gamma blinked as she heard a desperate wheeze escaped her old friend.  
"G-gam-ma… l-let go…!" X squirmed, his face pained. He slumped back to the chair the moment she let go and took a step back, a concerned expression making the disks of her eyes widened and the little winglets on her head actually raised in alarm.  
"I barely touched you! What in the world have you done!" Gamma's gaze turned suspicious, and once more she was right in his face, something _no one _dared to do in this day and age. "You went and _ruined_ the body _I_ made, didn't you? Do you know how much effort I put into that!" She poked a finger into his chest accusingly, not expecting the smile he gave her.  
"I'm sorry… But I'm glad you're back. Its been a very long, long time."  
That statement caught Gamma off guard, and she sat back down on the floor, crossing her legs beneath her frame and tilting her head. "Yes. I noticed my internal calendar… it says-"  
"This is the century of 22XX." X murmured, laying back against the chair and placing his hands back into his wide sleeves. "I had to completely remake your body, Gamma. I cleaned out traces of the Maverick Virus in your brain, installed an immunity program to keep this from reoccurring," as he spoke, he tried not to stare at Gamma's startled look. "You're memory banks have been restored, sorted and streamlined for better usage. This capacity has also been quadrupled to keep you from slowing down. Even your armor and the alloys in your joints have been reinforced. Not for combat, but should that need arise, you are not defenseless." He opened an eye, smiling cheekily. "Did I miss anything?"  
Gamma's head shook slowly from side-to-side. "No… but who are the ones on the other side of the door?"

===xXx===

Leviathan had little to no clue what was going on behind the doorway that led into X's laboratory, but she was damn determined to get through the layers of coding that their Master had installed into the security system. Her skills with code cracking and hacking into electronics was top notch, but it was taking her a lot longer than she would have liked. Especially since a trio of grumpy Reploids hovered over her.  
"Aren't you done yet?" Fefnir hissed, jostling her shoulder. Harpuia added his own grumbling a moment later, but Leviathan pushed it aside, paying no attention.  
Phantom stood back, grumpily muttering. "I don't think this is the best idea-"  
"Ah ha!" Leviathan cackled, a beeping sound chiming after her voice, and the door hissing open. At once, all four General's crowded the doorway, trying to rush in all at once. A shriek and a tumble later, Fefnir stepped on Phantom's foot, Harpuia bumped into Fefnir, and Leviathan was shoved forward by all three, sending all of thme tumbling into a heap. Inside, a pair of green and blue eyes stared back, wide and startled. 

===xXx===

"You've been busy, X."  
The old Reploid looked up from his chair, smiling back that same, odd smile that made Gamma's face twitch. "Perhaps. The Guardians seem a little rough around the edges, but they mean well."  
"Since when have you wanted to be protected by others?" Gamma asked, standing in the middle of X's personal quarters frowning. "And what did you mean by I was the fifth?"  
X gave no answer, shaking his head. The little incident with the Guardians bursting into the room had been… well shocking. It had taken over an hour for X to explain as much as he dared, and then shooed them back to their duties. He had a lot to explain to Gamma after all.

A hundred years ago, she had been in the same situation. Brought into a world she knew nothing about, set into a purpose she couldn't fully understand, but her gaze wandered away from her old friend, and to the window that cast a string of light over the blue Reploid instead. She could see the tops of buildings, towers and streets and even a few dotted shapes she guessed to be humans milling about on their daily tasks. The structures all seemed so refined and grand, coated in lights that made even the darkness back away and recede. "Its pretty… I can't believe you built it so quickly."  
X frowned. "It didn't take a single night, of course. More like fifty years or so. But enough about that." He hauled himself up slowly, making Gamma imagine him more of an old man than anything else. "Don't you have any questions?"  
"Too many." said Gamma. "First and foremost; the Guardians. If they're not your body guards… what are they, X?"  
"They protect the City." X replied simply. "Guardians of the elements, and of the humans who live within these walls. They also are equipped with powerful abilities to clean the world."  
Gamma's eyes widened. "They can do that?"  
"Harpuia is in the process of building a machine that can clean the atmosphere and filter out pollution. Outside of this dome, humans can get ill, and die, very easily. Leviathan cleans our oceans and bodies of water. Every bit the humans drink has been filtered and cleaned by her." He smiled, closing his eyes. "Now… Fefnir and Phantom both work with Harpuia and Leviathan, but they focused on the earth. They clean toxins from the soil. Our crops are grown this way. Each of them have a purpose-"  
z "What's my purpose, X…?" Gamma's voice was tiny.  
X paused, and turned back to her. "Gamma, you have the freedom to do what-"  
"No, X. Tell me. What am I supposed to do?"  
He wasn't going to get away with playing around with words or phrases. X gave a little sigh, putting his chin in his hand. "You really are my protector Gamma. You are also my friend, someone I can trust, and a keeper of the past. The guardians are great companions, and take care of me… but they do not understand I don't like being called 'Master' and such titles. Its selfish of me but…"

He opened his eyes, and was startled to see Gamma right in his face- again- with a growl. "You're not selfish, you old coot! You just need a friend, right? Well fine then!" She slapped a hand down on his helmet, smirking as he winced. "So get over it, you're stuck with me, blueberry."  
"Delighted, I'm sure…"

===xXx===

It had been a week since Gamma had been woken, and introduced to the Guardians. The general populace had been informed, but X had shot down any big ceremony or any such 'silliness' as he declared it. If the population wanted to meet her, or had any other grievances, they could come to him personally.  
X had other ideas though, and took his time letting Gamma get used to her new home, and even letting the Guardians take her for tours about Yggdrasil's hallowed halls. Few humans resided here- much to the Guardian's liking- so there were few chances for interruption.

Suddenly smiling, and standing in an elevator next to the 'Fifth General', X chuckled. "What do you think, Gamma? Is it to your liking?"  
"It's a little… fancy." There was a long pause between his question and her answer, but if X took it as strange or off, he said nothing, his weak smile still in place. It bothered her, but she chose a different subject. "X, about your repa-"  
"No, Gamma. If I require a repair, I will get one."  
"You're falling apar-"  
"You have proof?"  
"I can see it in your eyes and the way you move around, you broken down piece of scrap! You can't hide from me what you hide from your Generals." Gamma retorted, grabbing his elbow to stop his walking forward once the elevator had opened. "I mean it! You might be hiding your status from me, but I don't need to see charts and blueprints to tell there's something wrong." She winced at the look he gave her before he spoke, his voice very soft. Too soft.  
"Let go of me, Gamma."

A few tense heartbeats passed before Gamma obeyed, though hesitantly so. Once she had, X relaxed considerably. "These are trying times. I have neither the time, nor the want for such things. The resources aren't readily available, no matter how much you scrounge and scrimp."  
Gamma obviously had other thoughts to his response, but she decided now wasn't the best time to be questioning her old friend. Something about the subject was sore, and she intended to- secretly- learn what that was. For now, she changed the subject.  
"Where are we going, X?" Her voice was instantly, and carefully neutral. She was a little hurt by his snap, but she didn't want him knowing that.

"There is a sealed off laboratory in these sectors. There is…" X's voice trailed away as he considered his next move. Gamma watched his face intently, but could not see past the immobile mask. "Ah, where was I? Oh. Yes. There is something of great value hidden within this particular area. No one is allowed on this floor without my clearance. Not even you, so don't get any funny ideas."  
"What happened to the _fun_ X!"  
"Oh, bah." X muttered, waving a hand dismissively at her. "Come along. There's much to show you and so little time." He ignored her irate little huff, smiling to himself as he walked along a dim corridor without turning to see her obviously disgruntled face. It wasn't long before X's brisk walk slowed, and then halted all together, standing before a rather large doorway. It was bolted shut by some of the most powerful technology Gamma had ever seen, and her eyes widened in amazement. If only had time to study the complex data streams she had picked up from the doors internal mechanisms and locking computers, then she would have a real challenge to tinker with.

When the door suddenly opened, Gamma gave a pouting expression she then turned on her companion. X merely smiled and waved aside her displeasure. "You'll have plenty of time to fiddle with the device when we're done, Gamma, don't look like you just bit into a lemon."  
"A lemon?"  
"Nevermind." He rolled his eyes, stepping into the dark chamber within.

Gamma wasn't exactly sure where she had been led to. The room was blackened- a trend she was noticing in a lot- and no matter how high she adjusted her optical sensors, she could not penetrate the gloom. There was not even a scent in the room. So focused on the oddity and why she couldn't adapt to it, Gamma was startled a moment later when the shadows were chased away by a sudden intrusion of light, and she winced as her eyes protested the change and quickly recalibrated to accommodate it. What she saw confused her.

The entire room was filled, wall to wall, with odds and ends. Relics from her time-then again, it wasn't her time, was it? There was a pod that looked vaguely familiar, computer screens working and otherwise, baubles and other miscellaneous items she couldn't begin to fathom. However, none of these caught her eye as sharply as the flat, rectangular shape resting just a few meters away on an unremarkably made steel table.

As she stepped to it, hands shaking as they rose, X spoke. "I've spent the last… let's see, sixty? Seventy years or so excavating the ruins of our old home, Gamma. I've found very little of use. This however, was completely intact."

"My laptop." Gamma's voice rattled from her throat, as it had the day she had woken in this strange new world. "You found my laptop? It still works?"  
X's answering smile was coy. Something almost alien to him now. "You think I can build five of the most powerful Reploids ever to walk this earth and can't repair a laptop?"  
"Its over a hundred years old, you old fart!"  
"Fair enough." X chuckled, sinking into a stool near a work bench. On its surface behind him loomed strange tools, broken electronics with wires hanging from them, and even what looked like a half repaired Mechanaloid. "It did take a few years to completely put it back together. Then I had to reformat and bring back all of its files… it wasn't easy, mind you. Your coding was more confusing than I had anticipated. I think I built that _too_ well." X's hands tucked into their wide sleeves, and he ignored Gamma's giggle at the sight of him. All smug and proud of his odd little workshop and looking more like a preening magpie than an all powerful figurehead for an entire civilization.

"You really went through all that effort to save my silly little laptop-" Gamma's face would have turned bright red, X imagined, if it could. "You didn't _read_ anything on it, did you! Its none of your business if you did!" The only response she got was X's weak smile and snickering.

"No, no, I know better than that. I was sorely tempted, though, don't you doubt. I did a little search through it though-now don't stand there with your jaw open, you look like a gasping fish, let me finish- it was only those last few weeks when… well…" His voice trailed away, and at once Gamma picked up on his meaning.

"When Zero disappeared."

The words stung. Despite over a century of his friend's strange sidestepping of fate, X had never forgotten that pain. When he spoke, it was with difficulty. "Yes… when Zero disappeared. I was looking for clues. In all the searching I've done, I cannot _find_ him! He couldn't have died," Gamma winced, watching the suddenly quiet and withdrawn Reploid jump to his feet to pace, his face twisted into a mask she couldn't quite read. "I would have found evidence! Proof! A faded signal, a scrap of his armor. _SOMETHING._ But I've found nothing… nothing at all in all this time."

"X, you can't blame yourself for that, and don't pretend you're not. You know better than anyone if Zero didn't want to be found, he won't be found." Gamma tried to sooth the agitated Reploid with a pat to his small shoulder, only to have it rolled aside.

"I _need_ him, Gamma. I can't keep doing this. Not forever."  
"What are you saying, X?" Gamma's voice held a tone of unease.

"You know very well what I mean. I cannot entrust my home to any other." X's back was turned to her now, his small fists clenched at his side.

Gamma yelped, "Stop talking like that, you idiot! All you need is a few repairs! And what about your guardians? What about _me_? We could-"

"No more… best not to speak of it." X's sharp hand gesture silenced the hysterics.

He could tell she wanted to say more, to rant and rave at him, but he wasn't in the mood. She'd mind that, he hoped. Trying his best to ignore her cold gaze. "I still need him, Gamma. For reasons I cannot explain."

"Then we should stop playing in this lab and do something about it, shouldn't we?

X considered her words with only a sigh. He'd rather not talk about it… "There's still more I wish to show you, and discuss. You are free to enter this lab, but please, do not wander about too much." A smile jerked at the corner of his lips. "I know how badly you could damage the door openers just by touching them, missy."

"Don't call me 'missy'. Its insulting, you fart."  
"And 'fart' is much, _much_ better?"  
"Damn right."  
"Cursing isn't fit for a lady. Now. Let's stop chit chattering like old ninnies. There's still much to do."


	6. Chapter 6 Mother

Gamma had lost interest in the tour long ago.

X's world was certainly grand and... well shiny, but she had scanned and absorbed every bit of information she could already; and considering her new amount of brain memory, it almost seemed like nothing. At the moment, she followed at X's heels as he led her into what seemed the one hundredth chamber, but she hadn't been counting. All of the white washed, metallic walls looked the same anyway.

X's hand on her shoulder snapped her from her revere. "Gamma... this is another secret room. I know I bored you near to death in the other rooms, chambers and labs, but this is special. Would you mind paying attention?" His tired smile made her almost feel guilty for not giving him her entire focus. He had a habit of that. She couldn't understand it, even to this day.

"Sorry, X. I'll keep my eye out," she replied, chastised, "but where is here?" However, voice caught in her throat a moment later, her gaze rotating forwards. This particular chamber was quiet, dimly lit like the first lab he had shown her, but something was completely different about the atmosphere here. To her left, the wall was covered in monitors, quietly humming computers and a menagerie of other machines Gamma could not quite put a name to. To the right, something X had shown her earlier; a memory receptor. The device allowed a Reploid to dump their 'memories', which remained as electric data within their computer-like brains, into a 'bank' for storage. A Reploid's mind, like any humans, could become fuddled and forgetful, but with the Memory Receptors, it was no longer an issue. Or so she was told. Her curiosity at what could be stored on a device in this sort of room could hold, but she had a feeling this would be one of the things X would smack her hand for grabbing at.

Though interesting, the Receptor was not the main focus of this hushed sanctum. At the very center, situated upon a dais, an odd little device floated, as if caught by a whisper of wind. Circular in shape, the glowing item rotated faintly in a tight orbit, never deviating from this course. Covered in ruin-like markings and delicate edges along its facets, it almost appeared alive, light playing across its sides like liquid butter. Gamma moved in for a closer look, completely hypnotized by it.

The globe appeared to contain some sort of creature hidden within delicately curving appendages, shaped a little like clasping arms. The tiny thing was curled in on itself, completely unaware of the Reploids now standing in its presence. Breathless, Gamma turned her head to X, who stood by passively to the side, his own stare aimed at the creature perched within its ball.

"X... what is this thing? Its power levels... they're dormant, but they're off the charts. I didn't know that was possible. Is it a weapon?" She looked back at him completely now, before quickly turning back to examine the creature with both her eyes and internal scanners. It was incredible. She detected some sort of AI, but it wasn't anything like a normal Reploid. It was simpler, softer... inhuman. Un-Reploid. Alien. Boggled-eyed, she barely heard X as he spoke up.

"She is the Mother Elf." X explained, standing beside the pedestal and placing a hand on the object's outside shell. "She is a Cyber Elf. A sentient AI created during the last years of the Maverick Wars."

"The Maverick Wars?" Gamma asked, X's head giving only a single nod.

"Yes. She helped me to end that war, but unfortunately, she and her kind to follow her began another. The Elf Wars. Before Neo Arcadia was completed, we suffered an energy crisis of which we could barely cope. Cyber Elves are pure Energy with limited AI's, and therefore, were seen as possible ways to relieve this crisis. Because of this, they were abused terribly, and needless amounts of the Cyber Elves died for everyday needs. Bloody War broke out," Gamma flinched outwardly as she saw the haunted look in her friend's eyes. She knew no Reploid could 'pale' like a human being, but she was sure if he could have, his skin would be sheet-white. "90% of all Reploids, and 60% of humans were all wiped out."

"That many..." Gamma's shoulders hunched, staring at the Elf again with its deceivingly serene features. She didn't understand how something so small could cause so much damage, and because of it, so many of her people had died, and the human's decimated as well. "That's awful X," she slowly looked up at him again as she spoke, X's face contorting with the pity in her eyes. "You really are all alone, aren't you?"

"Yes. And no. I have the Guardians, and now I have you, my old friend. I'm not so alone anymore." As he continued, he let go a sigh he had been holding behind his teeth, "But Gamma... please, be warned. If anything were to happen to this place, or to me, this," His hands again touched the elf, and Gamma swore she saw it stir. "This must be protected. Too many people seek out the Cyber Elves, even now. Can I trust you to keep it quiet? She is more important to me than my life. She cannot fall into the incorrect hands. Ever."

"Of course you can." Her reply was typical Gamma; curt and leaving no room for argument. It finally brought a smile to his face, but it didn't seem to reach his eyes. "I'm not sure what all this has to do with me, but you can count on me. Have I ever broke a promise?" When he shook his head, Gamma added in a more dubious tone. "But... you're acting like its going to happen. Like this isn't a precaution."

She didn't seem to take the look in her old friend's eyes too cautiously. "Yes... You'll see why, I'm sure."

-xXx-

"I don't see why its such a horrible thing!"

For what seemed like the thousandth time, X took a deep, calming breath, and turned his gaze away from his paperwork, and to his fifth Guardian's steely glare. He'd have said it could have curdled milk, that look. Or someone had stuffed a bee up her nostril. The mental image made X inwardly snicker, but he tried to pull himself back to the present.

They'd had this same argument for weeks now, and again, X was left wishing she's give it up. But that wouldn't be a very Gamma thing to do, now would it? Pressing his pen carefully into its indent just above his workspace, X moved his hands back to his lap. Before he spoke, he glanced at the pen curiously. He would have thought the invention would have been outdated by now, but he often preferred paper- made out of recycled materials, there being so few trees as it was-to the touch of a computer. Finding it amusing he was, again, trying to find something else to look at rather than Gamma, X pulled himself together for a second time.

"Gamma. Abel City is gone. All that is left are ruins. Miles of hiding places for mavericks. I'm not letting you go into a death trap and get yourself killed-"

"X, I am not a baby.I can take care of myself." The mechanisms in Gamma's eyes narrowed to slits, and it was apparent she wasn't going to give this fight up anytime soon. Even the winglets on the side of her head had fanned out, reminding him of a bristling dog-

"Are you even listening!"

X's hands clasped before him, resting atop the table and fingers interlocking. "Gamma. I will not sanction this. I know you're no child. I know you want to see what happened... but you're just enticing trouble. The City is gone. Let it lay in ruins where it lies." At his words, Gamma's look of frustration only doubled. He understood her pain, but he would not risk her on a fool's errand. Abel City was a pile of rubble as far as he was concerned, a bad memory he'd rather leave behind him.

"Now please," at his voice, Gamma gave him a sour look, then reverted back to staring at her feet. "I have work to do. I'll see you later on today. I wanted to show you about the city itself," he chuckled, watching her head perk up. "You've been cooped up here long enough. You might as well see the city you're going to be expected to protect."

"Well, all right," she said, her voice laced with a sigh. "But don't just forgot about this, ok? Please think about it." With that said, she bobbed her head, and stepped out, the automatic doors hissing shut behind her. The room fell into silence the moment she was gone.

Somehow, her giving up so easily this time, gave X a very bad feeling. It was unexpected of her to be swayed by another distraction...

"Oh, Gamma," He groaned. "Please don't do anything stupid..."

xEndChapterx

HEY ALL. I'm sorry I've been gone so long ;m;! I switched to a new laptop, and had to get the story off a back up, and was busy busy busy. I'll be working on this off and on for the next couple of weeks I hope, maybe I'll finish it this time.

REVIEWS APPRECIATED ;D


	7. Chapter 7 Scheme

Gamma was beginning to wonder if in his 'old age', X had become a bit too gullible.

Then again, hadn't he always been? Even if he had put a few decades under his belt, he was still, under all that fuss and proper etiquette, the blue blunderer, and she knew all of his weaknesses.

Once she had left his little office behind, Gamma trotted straight to the elevator, already formulating a plan in her quick mind. It was simple really; ride the elevator itself, all the way down to the bottom floor, quickly slip into the garage, and find a vehicle to escape with. She didn't need to see the city to know how to get out, having already purged a computer database within X's lab to find a layout of the surrounding areas. If he thought he'd keep her out of his business forever, he was sorely mistaken. And he was entirely at fault, she had told herself, feeling no remorse.

She must have had a very concentrated look on her face, for she completely missed the fact that the elevator had stopped on the incorrect floor. The amused comment she heard a moment later snapped her from her scheming.

"A zenny for your thoughts, Gamma?"

Trying not to curse her bad luck aloud, Gamma turned her most charming smile she could on the Shadow General.

"I'm not sure what you mean, Phantom. I'm flat broke."

Phantom made a sound in his throat, more grunt than chuckle. "If I did not know you any better, I would assume you are up to no good." He turned his gaze on her, a look that made even the surliest of men—or Reploid—uneasy. "Where is it you are headed in such a hurry?"

Trying not to get caught by someone of Phantom's merits was difficult, even for her. Inwardly cursing X for giving his Guardians such nosey talents, she stared down at her hand instead of him, falling into old habits. She let her hand twist a full 360 degrees, then let it twist back into its proper alignment, repeating the process many times before she spoke. It often helped her concentrate, and sometimes was a great distraction to others. "Oh, you know. Just wandering around… as usual."

"Mmm," He made the noise again, watching her actions a little too closely for her liking. She'd have to give X a piece of her mind about this later, his Generals were just too curious. Especially concerning her. "And is that all you have planned for today?"

"X said he'd take me into the city today." Gamma frowned lightly, knowing her little plan wouldn't allow for that at all, and wondered just how furious he might be when he found her missing. If he found her missing, she mentally corrected, and he didn't usually get furious at anything. He just worried. X would get over it, wouldn't he? She had to remind herself of that. Despite her huffing and grumbling, she was desperate to get out of the tower, and not even Phantom, or any of the other cronies were going to stop her.

Not when it came to seeing what was left of the city she once called home.

Phantom continued to analyze her face, oblivious to her inner thoughts, but his musing was interrupted when the elevator halted. Smiling at her good luck, Gamma glanced at him, and had finally noticed he was carrying several stacks of papers, folders, and manila envelopes. It was almost comical, realizing such powerful Reploids, capable of flattening their enemies were reduced to desk jobs and pushing paperwork. Even more so, she was appalled they hadn't quite upgraded to paperless paperwork. She wasn't sure if X was trying to keep them busy, or bore them to death with the menial labor more suited for secretaries. Maybe it was a bit of both. "You have fun with those, I wouldn't want to keep you from you work," she finally smiled, then without warning, lifted a shoulder to shove him.

Phantom pitched forward, eyes widening just a fraction, and his arms scrambling to hold their precious burden together. By the time he steadied himself, he was outside. He barely had time to protest, much less turn around, before the door shut fast behind him. Gamma smiled for a minute, the elevator continuing on its merry way, leaving her once more to her thoughts.

Home.

Could Abel City really be called that, at least now, that she resided here? It wasn't home, it couldn't be anymore, its once soaring skyscrapers and bustling highways having been flattened and turned to little more than twisted debris. If that was the truth, she told herself logically, why did it make her so nervous to see? Why did it make her… sad?

She had once struggled with such emotions, but with time and experience she had developed a much clearer view of the world. And all of her memories, all of her experiences that made her who she was, had been fostered and born in Abel City. She wasn't going to just let X tell her she couldn't go. How was he going to stop her? He had never been good at pulling rank, after all. Gamma could only stare at her reflection in the glass before her, the lines of worrying in her brow and lips suddenly reminding her of her worrying friend. She eventually averted her eyes, knowing she'd begin to have second thoughts if she kept that up.

The rest of the descent remained uneventful, and by the time she reached the garage below Yggdrasil, Gamma's mind was well safely made up, and she walked stubbornly across the smooth, too-white metal plating that made up just about everything in this tower. With that bit of unease behind her, and her first task completed, she focused on the next; find and commandeer a mode of transportation. She didn't know, however, that that would be a bit of a difficult romp.

Most of what she found were incomplete 'jeeps' and four wheeled monstrosities that she did not even want to bother with. Every cubby and parking space contained these lumps in different states of disrepair, beginning to make the cyan Reploid wonder if she'd have to make this trip on foot, and if that'd even be possible. Frustration made her eyes narrow, and like old habits, Gamma began to go over statistics. _Neo Arcadia is hundreds of miles from the ruins_, her mind ran over thousands of numbers at once, scrolling over her eyes like a sort of pulse_, distance, speed… I'd never be able to run that far without them noticing me gone_. It'd take days—Just as she began to pace, Gamma's internal scanners roamed over the wall, and to her delight, found the seams of something.

"Oh, X, you sly thing, you!" She smiled, running her fingers over the smooth surface of the wall. She was rewarded when a panel was revealed, which Gamma rolled her eyes at. "Don't think you can keep me out that easily," A few seconds of finger tapping later had the code cracked, and the hidden cubby hissing open to reveal X's custom made, sleek blue motorbike. The machine did not seem to reflect its owner at all, at least not how he was now.

The behemoth was streamlined, curving like the leaping body of a wildcat, and its seat perfectly molded to fit a Reploid of their shape and size. Its consoles were apparently holographic, and at the moment, dark and shut down.

"You never disappoint." The smile on her face was all too conniving, grasping the handle bars to pull the surprisingly light bike forward. Once the motorbike was free, the compartment door slid shut, Gamma threw a leg over the the seat, straddling the seat comfortably. "Now…" Her hands reached for the ignition, the tiny holograms blinking to life in front of her fingers with the bike's levels of energy, condition, and hundreds of other sensors she memorized in seconds. Her fingers danced across the holographic image, smiling with satisfaction as the machine purred, and ribbons of LED lights burned over its sides. The bike was ready, and so was Gamma.

Before too long, she was cruising along not the city streets—which she had only moments to look at—but vast oceans of desert, stretching out on either side of her. Gamma was leaned over the bike's low swooping console, the wind whipping her long hair back, just barely not touching the trail of sand dust that followed her like a veil. Her shock of just the amount of desert there was became a fading concern, focusing instead on the task ahead.

Home.

-

OHEY, AN UPDATE.  
How long's it been... uh. Yeah. I'M GETTING TO THE GOOD STUFF, YO!  
I also have a question for my readers; yes, I'm aware of in Mimiru1618's story, she made it clear that Gamma would not be paired, and that she supported Alia x X... but this is a canon belief of our's. NON-CANNONLY, our views are much different after so much time has passed... ;3 And if readers want a bit more of a pairing sort of feel, they're free to interpret it that way... or by request, I could certainly suggest that. But you know, that's all up to you guys...~

Hope to update more soon! dun dun.


	8. Chapter 8 Past

"So, tell me again, why no one saw this happen?"

X's tone was enough to make all four Guardians look off in different directions. All different compass directions, as it so happened. If he wasn't so livid, he would have found it rather funny. Instead, the blue Reploid turned away, running his small hands over his face, until he was peeking over his fingers at where his motorbike was supposed to be parked. Parked in its snug, protected—and most importantly _hidden_—compartment.

"I asked you all to watch her…" He resealed the compartment, wringing his hands and turning to step past them all, staring at the garage doors. They were opened wide, further evidence of where Gamma had decided she was getting rather tired of waiting around in the tower. "We must fetch her at once. She's not built for combat. There's no telling the amount of trouble she could get into. And she _will_ get into trouble. Harpuia, I need—"

"To calm down, Master." Phantom had intervened quickly, putting a steadying hand on X's shoulder, his firm grip locking him in place. "You have told us to put trust in her, so we must do so. Though... I do apologize for… letting her get away from me," he had neglected to mention Gamma had practically knocked him down. He'd save face as long as he could before that little tidbit of information got out. However, Phantom could see X would not be soothed, pulling his hand away as the shorter Reploid shook himself free.

"I trust her, Phantom, oh I do… it's everything else out there that I don't."

=xXx=

Her eyes had never taken in so much all at once. To call this cataclysmic crater stretching before her a city would take far more imagination than she thought herself capable of. But, without really realizing it, Gamma was already reconstructing the rubble around her from memory, memories she really hadn't wanted to access this way.

Highways sprang forth from twisted metal spires, the roar of human-driven vehicles racing along its surface, and from the nondescript skeletons of stone and steel, skyscrapers stretched endlessly upwards, brushing the clouds with their peaks. At night, she recalled how everything seemed to glow, like millions of neon fireflies caught in dark bottles. You could never have seen the stars now like she could for that very glow, swallowed up by the light pollution. Here and there she'd see where once a business had stood, or some sort of repair shop, and any number of local attractions like arcades and restaurants, now and then picking out a broken or buried sign, many of which she recognized. Above her, even the sky had turned dark, the pure blue now a choked shade of gray.

The most difficult of her discoveries were the old human neighborhoods. What had once been rows of neatly kept, perfectly styled homes were now little more than dust, and the drive ways now overgrown with browning plant life, barely sustained by whatever rare drops of rain they could get. Playgrounds, power lines, schools—none of it had been spared the devastation. Gamma's pilfered bike passed all of it by, the sound of its humming engine the only noise in this lonely place. Her hands clenched weakly at the handlebars, and she chewed her lip, struggling with the emotions her brain could barely register.

It was all gone. Everything. All of the places she and her comrades had once visited. Everywhere she had answered a call, the men, women, children, and Reploids alike the Hunters protected… all of it.

Overcome with that realization, Gamma halted, letting the motorbike cycle down to a stop in what she assumed had once been a park, its trees long since torn from the earth, as well as any structure present. Hands shaking and eyes unfocused, Gamma wrapped her arms tight about her chest.

"I-I knew… I knew it would be this bad but…" She told herself, "I knew it wouldn't… be home." Flinching at her own words, Gamma steeled her resolve once more, eyes falling on what she assumed had been a statue, or monument at the park's heart. A lump of melted metal was more like it now.

Once she trusted herself, Gamma was on the move again, making her way through the destruction, and into the heart of the city itself. She tried not to notice her surroundings much, keeping her eyes instead on her internal radar, which showed little to nothing when it came to electronic signals. X had warned her that this was a nest for Mavericks… but if that was true, where were they? No matter how much, and how far she sent out her scanners, she found nothing but dust and echoes. It was almost suspicious, but she didn't have time to worry about it, her path beginning to slope slowly downwards. She was concerned momentarily, but the cause of it became clear quickly, and it forced her again to jerk the bike to a halt.

Gamma's ultimate goal, and the reason she had disobeyed X's strict orders, lay before her in the very heart of a deep crater; Maverick Hunter HQ. The symbol of the most powerful force in the world, the pillar of justice, had been torn asunder, struck down by the very same missiles that had wiped Abel City from the map. The blast had been centered here, leaving nothing left of what had once been Gamma's, X's, and many other Reploid's home.

Heartsick,Gamma took in the sight with dread, the discs of her eyes having widened impossibly, and her hands clamped down on the bike's brake to keep it, and her, from falling forward.

Everything was gone.

With exaggerated care, she climbed from the motorcycle, her heeled feet crunching into the earth as she made her way to the crater's lip. Her view there did not serve to make the ache in her chest lessen, only increasing it tenfold. Gamma's hands were now clasped at her throat, trying in vain to lessen her shaking. If Reploids were capable of crying, she knew she would be, but as it were, that was one human aspect none of them could ever hope to achieve. Her sorrow would have to go unseen. Whimpering softly, she slid down to sit, pulling her knees to her chest and resting her forehead against them. Gamma remained this way for an amount of time not even she cared to count, gently rocking on the balls of her feet.

"Is this really what became of it...?" The former hunter whispered, her voice dying on the stale wind. "Were all of our efforts, our struggles...?"All of the power, and the analytical skills at her disposal failed her, leaving Gamma confused and lost. And heartbroken, if that was even possible. She supposed it was, burying her face further into her knees. "Everyone's dead and there's nothing I can do... I was supposed to help. But I couldn't even do the only thing I was built for..."

She became absorbed in her grief, so overcome by it, that she did not hear a pair of soft footfalls approaching from the shadows at her back. Her radar picked up the intrusion, squealing an alarm in her ear, but she just wasn't fast enough. Her turning head was greeted by a fist slamming into her temple, throwing her world into darkness.


	9. Chapter 9 Hurry

The trip through the desert was awkward at best. Harpuia couldn't doubt that, instead trying to keep his eyes forward on the sea of sand dunes rolling by, and listening to the steadily increasing silence stretch further. He slowly glanced to the seat a few feet from his own, and couldn't help but notice the uncomfortable frown on X's face. The sand rover was built for combat and speed, not for comfort, after all. An all too clear concept apparent by the grip of the smaller Reploid's hands on the armrests. Fefnir had been forced to stand, the scarlet Reploid holding onto a handle above his head, shifting his weight with the bumps and jostles the monster of a vehicle sent at them. It wasn't exactly slow going, X having commanded all speed to fetch the wayward Gamma, and Harpuia wasn't going to disobey.

While Phantom had managed to settle some of X's fury, he had not been able to change his mind on waiting for her to return. Instead, Neo Arcadia's pragmatic leader had split them up, leaving the Water and Shadow General in place to keep curious eyes away, while Fire and Air accompanied him. It wouldn't be too much longer before they reached their destination now, and he wasn't quite sure what would happen when they got there. He wasn't sure he wanted to, but if there was trouble... this would be their first real combat experience. His fingers twitched on the wheel at the very thought, unsure if he was anxious or excited at the prospect before them. He tried not to let it show, knowing very well how strict X's code of ethic was; avoid any and all trouble, resolve what they can by speech or flight. Battle was only necessary in the direst of cases.

The Sage was sure his master prayed for no such urgency to befall them.

=xXx=

Everything was dark, and so very, very cold. These were the first thoughts her foggy head registered, her internal workings rebooting back to functionality with soft beeps. Numbers and energy readings scrolled over her vision, percentages she didn't have time to calculate. No damage? Asides from the headache and what she hoped wasn't a dent to her helmet, she appeared to be unharmed. Excellent. When the reports finally faded, Gamma was able to lift her head and survey her surroundings, groaning softly as her limbs creaked with protest. She was hit a lot harder than she thought.

There wasn't much light to see by, but with a few adjustments to her vision, she was able to make out detail. The walls were once dark colored and perhaps polished titanium, but with the amount of age these had seen, they were now dented, and covered in rust, and what she assumed was bare wiring here and there. Something about the place seemed uncomfortably familiar, and for a moment Gamma was unable to banish less pleasant memories from her head.

Red lights flickering, the hum of plasma-energy based shields keeping her from escaping. The smell of oil, spreading further across the floor from a crumpled figure-

Gamma's mind jerked back to the present, shakily moving her arms to coil about her. It was in the past, it wasn't happening again.

But if that was true, what was that ominous stain marring the floor so close to her?

It couldn't be the same place, she assured herself. The base had been destroyed; she saw it with her own eyes. There was no plasma shield here either, only bars. She could break through them. Surely they weren't made of anything that tough. She was slowly getting to her feet, but her limbs protested, and the hydraulic cords in her knees quivered. Wobbling along, she managed to lurch towards the bars, but the moment her fingers clamped down on them, her triumphant smile vanished, noticing a shadow that detached itself from the wall. The voice that came from that shadow made would have stopped her heart, if she were human.

"100 years later, and you're still as easy to trap as a mouse."

A reploid stood before her, but unlike her and the only other Reploids she knew of, his armor was not the trim, upgraded 'new age' style. He was from another age, though he did not seem decrepit or broken down. The armor itself was a mix of hues ranging from black, gold and dominantly violet. His helm showed no human 'face', but instead a knight-styled helm, with only a slit where the Reploid's visual units saw from. Most threateningly, mounted on his shoulder was an oversized canon, leaving him formidably protected. His cackle made her entire body shudder. "You really must have not learned anything, brainiac. Not only do you show up here alive, you scamper straight into my hands. Well," she was sure if he was able, a smile would spread onto his features. "Man, you really are a screw up, Gamma. Do you like what we've done with the place?"

"Vile..." Her voice struggled to form the name, grappling with the déjà vu that was beginning to overwhelm her. How was this possible? How was he alive? Surely the Maverick Wars would have wiped this rotten bastard off the face of the planet. X wouldn't have let a monster like him live... would he? And if he was alive...who else was? Frantic, Gamma tried to scan her surroundings, but to her displeasure, something was jamming her signal. Nothing could be sent out, nothing could check in.

She was alone, utterly and completely. And she wasn't exactly sure if this monster was the only one she had to worry about.

=xXx=

"This is where her trail stops, Master." Fefnir's grunt interrupted X's dreadful imagination. They had easily navigated through the broken city, following the energy readings X's stolen bike had left behind, and now found that very same bike parked on the very edge of the one place X did NOT want to be. Like Gamma, they had been unable to pick up on any electronic signals in the area, leaving them wondering if this place was abandoned after all. X had insisted this was not the case, but even their absolute trust in their creator wavered just the slightest. For now, however, they all just stared down at the ruins below, relying only on their normal senses to understand the situation. Normally, X would never had ventured out this blind, but he had little choice if he was going to bring his fifth General back in one piece. So here they were, just three Reploids; Harpuia ever watchful, Fefnir eager to crush something, and X having left behind the old, faded robe that usually covered his frame.

The absence of this one key trait left behind the peaceful, human-like air X usually bore, instead showing what he truly was. He did not require a weapon, after all, not bothering with the notion as he suddenly stepped to the crater, making his way down at a light sprint. Fefnir sputtered.

"O-oi! Master! Wait a sec!" He flung himself down after him, hefting his huge arm canons the entire way down and practically stomping as he jogged. Not to be left behind, Harpuia sighed, and trailed along at their backs a bit more cautiously.

X ignored them both, and Fefnir's annoyed huffing and puffing, his mind moving even faster than his feet. Why would Gamma leave the bike behind, out in the open? There was no doubt she was here, but where was she? Had she not seen they were here? Where WAS she? It set his processors buzzing, and he only ran faster, one single prayer repeating over and over silently to himself. If it was ignored, he couldn't fathom what he would do. Frantic now, he ran all that much faster, not even hearing Harpuia's shout.

_Please, just be safe…_


	10. Chapter 10 Blurry Images

Since her run in with Vile, Gamma had come to realize she should perhaps take better care to listen when X warned her. She would have called him being right again annoying, but considering her predicament, she was going to pass on the thought. Not long after her waking, and his initial spewing of insults, Vile had dragged her out of the cell, ignoring her obviously frazzled mindset, and with no less amount of gloating than a clichéd criminal mastermind was expected to spout to boot. It would have set her off if she wasn't so preoccupied with looking around to assure herself this was not Hunter Base.

It was, however, beginning to get harder and harder to deny that fact, and she couldn't help but chew her lip, even more so when she noticed shapes moving in the darkness. Realizing what they were wasn't too difficult upon closer inspection; Mavericks. More of them than she would have thought were able to hide within the ruins. Like Vile, their armor was outdated, but most of them were in a state of disrepair, and in desperate need of maintenance. They seemed like ghosts, their movements slow and deliberate, and the few hissing voices that spoke rattling strangely. It didn't help the overall atmosphere of her capture, but it was their eyes that unsettled her badly, the 'irises' glossed over with scarlet that locked on her the moment she was hauled by.

"Quit squirming." Vile hissed as Gamma tried again to twist free of his grip, receiving a rough shake for her endeavors.

"Where the hell are you taking me, Vile?" She tried to put on a cold air as much as she could, glaring up at her captor, and raising her head defiantly. His cackle made her cringe, all of that bluster fading just a bit.

"You'll see, brainiac, and I do hope you'll enjoy it. I think you'll be a real hit with the others. May be just what they need…" Again she was pulled roughly, forcing her to walk faster. "Stop getting so ancy." Something in the way he spoke made all of this worse. It was moving too fast, she was hardly over seeing her home destroyed, and now she was being forced along through the blackened halls of its dilapidated remains. And by a sadistic psychopath, to add insult to injury, how wonderful. Her eyes clenched shut, trying desperately to block out the Mavericks hungrily staring, the memories, and the entire world.

This was no longer Hunter Headquarters. This wasn't home. This was a rat's nest and she had to escape from it. She may even apologize to X for running off. But she wasn't too sure of that. Not even the fear of death would really make her want to give X the opportunity of an 'I told you so'.

_Still... I'd like to at least see him, maybe even those nosey Generals, before they do anything too horrible. Is that asking a lot? _

She was venturing into panic-territory, so she hurriedly forced her brain to continue generating random questions, calculations. It did help for a time, but curiosity was a trait she was never quite able to shake off.

There was nothing left of the upper floors, she knew that, but the cavernous prison ward they now navigated was still partially intact. Gamma herself had memorized the layouts in the past, but necessity and 'Maverick ingenuity' had broken up paths and forked hallways that were once a single direction. The mildew infested, rusted walls seemed to stretch on forever, so much so that she was not prepared when her eyes were suddenly struck by a harsh light. She was half shoved, half stumbled into the room that housed the light, blinking rapidly to adjust her vision. It took some time, but when she could see, however, she immediately regretted being able to.

The chamber was not very large, having, of course, been a prison cell in bygone days, but unlike the rest of the aging facility, this room had been completely repaired and modified into Gamma could only call a lab. Computer monitors recording scrolling data lined the walls from floor to ceiling, corded wiring twisted round the rest of the available space, and strange machines whirred and beeped as the cords filed into them. These sites she took in quickly, even going as far as to mentally make note to try and hack these systems the split second she got the chance, but when she noticed what all of these machines were designed to maintain, everything seemed to come to a jerking halt.

There, sitting upright in a sort of throne of steel, and dormant like some grotesque statue, was what Gamma could only assume was once a Reploid.

The Reploid had been a giant in stature when it had been alive, she estimated roughly seven feet in height. Now, however, its body was torn, charred, shredded—destroyed. Whoever had gone to town on this behemoth had done a good job on making it completely unrecognizable—all except for a single, slashed piece of armor on its shoulder.

There, in faded green paint, sat the symbol 'Σ'. A whirlwind of questions burst in front of Gamma's eyes.

That really can't be him—X would have never had rested knowing he was alive—he's a pile of scrap, even if that is him he can't hurt anyone, he's far too damaged. Uncomfortably, some of Vile's words were beginning to sink in. She'd be a real hit, she'd be able to help them.

"You're trying to bring him back… you're trying to rebuild Sigma…" She whispered.

"Perceptive, as always, Gamma." The voice that replied to her was half giggle, half sneer. "My, with that sharp brain of yours, we may even be able to complete our project!" The Reploid that skulked back from behind the tarnished throne was another face Gamma had hoped and prayed was a dead one.

Theta, unfortunately, was not dead. The crazed scientist-type Reploid was alive and apparently well. If you could call psychotic 'well'. He giggled again as he approached the cyan Reploid, who had been forced to her knees by

Vile, her now frightened and wide gaze locked on the chip he twirled in his fingertips. She let her scanners rake over it quickly, and felt the cords that made up her 'muscles' tighten. A virus. It had to be.

"You see, we're missing a few key components to bring our Master's brain and body online. He cannot function in this world's new order... not without a little help."

"You're insane!" Gamma hissed, but it was quickly cut off by a yelp, Vile's hand yanking her hair enough to pull her head back. "There's no way... no way I'd help you! You're all supposed to be DEAD!"

"Well, a lot of things were supposed to be dead, dearie, but that's not always true. Hold her still. There's no telling who followed her if this is really the same Gamma." Another Maverick appeared to hold Gamma's arms tight in place, while Vile kept hold of her hair and arm. He obviously enjoyed how much she was struggling. This wasn't supposed to have happened. How did she get caught up in this so quickly? _Why _were they bringing Sigma back?

"We've sat too long in this hole," Theta snarled, his hand roughly seizing her helm. "And we'll no longer stand for it. And all because you've given us the perfect opportunity. I never thought anyone would be stupid enough to _leave _Neo Arcadia! And when I'm done purging your brain," He leaned in all too close to her face, the oily stench of his breath making her eyes sting. "I'm going to rip you to pieces and use you for scrap."

Whatever terror Gamma felt at the threat wasn't allowed to sit long. Before she could even shout a protest, Theta's thumb pressed harshly into the crystal at her forehead, yanking the port under it open. She screamed, dimly she heard it, and she knew she was thrashing, but it did little to stop the black-iridescent from it's course into her electronic brain.

All she remembered of the events that transpired next was pain. It was an excruciating, numbing, and agonizing pain that ripped through every recess of her frame. It tore into the very being of her, eating everything in its path like an acid. It wouldn't be long before it erased her entirely, and through the blaring red lines of warning text that scrolled over her text, she managed to have that one thought; she'd die here, wouldn't she?

She could see nothing now but the scarlet and black, wallowing in that pain and just hoping it would end quickly. So lost in it, she did not hear the shouting. Nor did she see the sudden burst of flame that engulfed the Maverick holding her arms. The flames rose impossibly consuming all in its path. She could faintly hear the hiss of something slicing through metal next, and an awful squealing that hurt her hearing receptors.

All of this she sensed and lost quickly, all except one single sensation; a pair of arms that wrapped about her securely, and something cold and cloth-like against her cheek. Whatever had grabbed her held her close, and it spoke softly, almost too much for her to hear. If she could have cried, even with the tremors that made her convulse, she would have.

"I've got you, Gamma. You're safe, I won't let you go."

* * *

Hey hey, we're 10 chapters in. Cool cool...  
I hope you're all not getting too bored yet! ;3 Leave me your thoughts, Mimiru and I are always happy to answer questions without spoilers.

Stay tuned, I'm going to try to update these more regularly every few days!


	11. Chapter 11 Judgement

"Just stay with me," X was unsure if his voice had reached Gamma, or just how far along the virus had progressed. When he finally did take his attention from her, Fefnir had practically melted the entire room, and more than a few of the Mavericks. Harpuia had sliced whatever was left to ribbons. From the fire the walls were warped and charred, and there were more than a few thin slices through the weakened sheet metal. Reploids lay in heaps and pieces, some twisted beyond recognition. Not a single one of them was the same Reploid Neo Arcadia's leader sought after, however.

"Theta... he must have slipped away. Harpuia!" X's voice was frantic, and the Guardian Sage turned back to him, yanking his sabre from a broken Reploid's torso. "Find him and make sure he doesn't' get away."

"As you command."

X did not watch him go. His gaze had moved instead to Fefnir, who stood with a prisoner in tow. Vile had been brought to his knees, his armor burned away in places, exposing the raw circuitry beneath. The wiring crackled and sparked, and Fefnir's hand had dug into his strange helm, forcing his head down in submission. Despite this degraded position, the crazed Maverick cackled, though it was choppy at best.

"So here he is, our savior, X! Finally come out of your tower to play? Or do your toys do all the work for you? You're still the same weakling pacifist you were a hundred years ago!"

Gently, X propped Gamma's prone from against the wall, leaving her to rest as he stood very slowly. His movements were as deliberate, but the expression on the usually serene Reploid's face was something cold and unfamiliar. It made Fefnir's shoulders square uneasily, and from where she was having trouble keeping awake, Gamma watched soundlessly. Her thoughts were still scrambled, but she saw every moment of what occurred next.

X was never known to lose his temper. He was a peaceful soul, dreaded conflict and tended to reject violence in every form, and he only fought for the protection of others and with no other options at his disposal. But, in this single moment, this was not the same Reploid. Fefnir had mere seconds to let go of Vile and step back before X's own hand lashed out, suddenly grabbing onto the faceplate of his enemy, who gagged as the small fingers dented his helm further.

"That _thing_ is a shell. Where are Sigma's _real_ remains?" X had figured it out only after the fire had consumed the empty thing, and he was in no mood to play. Especially with the discoveries of this rat's nest had unearthed. "I've not the time for games!"

Vile had no eyes to glare, nor a mouth to smile, but X sensed the callous hatred as he spoke. "You won't find it here, goody-two-shoes. And you won't get it out of me."

"Then I've no use for you."

X's hand clamped down, but it was not this that had Vile suddenly twitching, and screaming in his hold. With just a touch of his palm, and the activation of nerve-like nodes under his fingertips, he sent out burning electronic signals similar to that of an EMP. Every circuit, nerve, cord and electronic device within Vile's body was burned out, essentially frying him firm the inside out. Smoke curled away from his convulsing body, and the blood-like oil that sustained a Reploid's body spattered onto X's armor and the floor alike, but if he noticed, he did not react. When the screaming stopped, X slowly pulled his hand away.

His old nemesis, and rival, fell to the ground moments later, twitching soundlessly as he died. It was sudden and strange, but Fefnir had backed far away from him in disbelief.

"My judgment on you, Vile," X's voice was a quiet, angry whisper. "You could have redeemed yourself in the past... but harming Gamma... I cannot and WILL not forgive anyone for that." He turned away from what he considered now a pile of garbage. He wasted no time moving back to Gamma, and gently scooping her up into his arms.

"I'm taking her home. See to it this place burns, Fefnir. 

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Woops! Short chapter. It's gonna start picking up after this, I promise! ;3  
Reviews and questions are always welcome.


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